Runaways
by LinkinBizkit97
Summary: "You sure you're ready to go?" "Of course I am. Been preparing for this for a long time" Craig said as he dumped Kenny's bags in the trunk. No more turning back now.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – I'm fine

"Ok class, today we're going to discuss about a very common urge that most teenagers have when they feel they can't get along with their parents anymore, or can't find their place or…yeah, well. Anyone's got a clue?" Mr Garrison asked the class.

Of course he was met by silence, followed by Wendy who eagerly raised and shook her hand. Wendy Testaburger, also known as "the teacher's pet". It seemed like there was nothing this girl didn't know.

"How about someone else…let's see…Clyde?" Mr. Garrison said, trying to get the boy's attention. As usual, Clyde was passing notes with his deskmate, Craig. This didn't go unseen by the teacher.

"Dude, I think he's talking to you..." Craig leaned towards his best friend.

"Huh? Wha-..what did he ask?" Clyde turned towards the teacher, hoping he'd ask the question again.

"I dunno, something about teenage urges and shit"

"Oh, like sex and drugs and stuff?"

"No dude" Token, their friend who occupied the desk behind them poked Clyde on the back "It sounded like something bad and depressing".

"Clyde, you either give your answer now or you'll get an F" Garrison threatened, getting real tired of the student's shit.

"Uhm, I dunno man...cutting? Suicidal thoughts?" Clyde scratched his head, trying really hard to think about what depressed teenagers would do.

"Well that's not exactly it, but you were pretty close. Wendy?"

"Ahem" Wendy cleared her throat and got up."Running away from home, Mr Garrison" she said, slightly turning her head towards Clyde, giving him a superior look.

"Correct, you may sit down. Now I would like you to give me examples of..blah blah blah…his words slowly faded, as the class continued to fret and do anything but pay attention.

"Man, she's fucking annoying" Clyde said, glaring daggers at the back of Wendy's head, while nearly snapping his pencil in half. "Did you see how she just got up, like she was about to give a really important speech or something? Gosh, I can't wait for high school to end and never see her fucking face again"

"Just calm down" Craig tried to reason his friend, but was quickly interrupted by a snapping sound. "That was the last pencil you had, wasn't it"

"Ah, don't worry. Token's gonna lend me another one, right buddy?" Clyde smiled and turned around in his seat.

"Wha? Who do you think I am, the Pencil Fairy? That was the last penc..no, scratch that, the last THING that you borrowed from me." Yo, Tweek!" Token elbowed his desk mate, waking him up from another daydream he was having "Clyde wants a pencil"

"GAH! N-no! I DON'T have one! S-sorry…" Tweek apologised while shaking and squirming. He was quickly beginning to feel sad. "I'm SO sorry!"

"It's cool dude" Clyde smiled

"GOD! I'm so useless! Augh!" he started shaking even more. He always panicked when he thought he was a burden of some sort. His self-confidence was really low.

"Dude it's okay! Look at me" Clyde tried to get his attention "It's cool, all right? Everything's fine. Look-Token's fine" he pointed at their black friend, who immediately grinned towards the shaking blonde. "And I'm fine. Even Craig's fine, right Craig?" Clyde poked his desk mate, without receiving an answer.

Craig was, yet again, silent. After watching Clyde's efforts of trying to calm down their friend, and after hearing his last question, he began to wonder. Was he really fine? He looked around the classroom until his eyes landed on the blackboard. It seemed that while they were trapped in their own world, Mr Garrison continued with the lesson and had asked the students to come to the board and write some reasons regarding their discussion. Reasons teenagers have or find, that make them want to run away. While examining each sentence, Craig started to realize something, and suddenly he felt a slight pain in his stomach that quickly reached his chest.

He found himself in what was written on the board. It was like the class was asked to describe him and his life. Everything was true, from "not getting along at all with parents/siblings" to "feeling trapped/ unwanted/ unneeded". No, he was not fine, and he had known it for a long time. But the thought of running away…that actually never occurred to him. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Then it hit him. He knew what to do. He was going to run away, and he knew exactly WHO he was going to take with him.

"Craig?! Earth to Craaaaig!" Clyde snapped his fingers in front Craig's silver eyes.

"What"

"I said…You're fine too. Riiiight?" Clyde furiously winked at him, forcing himself to smile as wide as he could.

Craig looked at him, then turned to Token and Tweek. He sighed, and for the first time that day, he smiled. "Yeah…I'm fine.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own the South Park characters.

Chapter 2 – Count me in

"What's even more interesting about the praying mantis is the way they mate. While mating, the female-

Bzzzzzz Bzzzzz

…

"Right. As I was saying, the female will eat the male's head and-

Bzzzz Bzzzz

…

"Kenny McCormick."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Is that your phone that's interrupting my lesson?"

"Well, uhm-

Bzzzzz Bzzzz

"Can't you turn it off?"

"I can't ma'am, it's nothing like the other modern cell phones. I either reply or smash it on the ground" the teen smiled slightly at the teacher. "It's probably mom trying to tell me our house is on fire again, or something…"

The teacher sighed and rubbed her temples. Kenny was a special case indeed.

"You may go out and reply, but be back in 5 minutes, clear?"

"Cristal" Kenny grinned and left the class. Once he entered the empty hall, he leaned against the wall and checked his phone. Three messages from…Craig Tucker? Curious, he called the other boy, and was met by his annoyed, whispering voice.

"Dude, I told you not to call me when I'm in class. Didn't you read those messages?"

"Yeah, well, I told you not to message me while I'm in biology, either. You know she's watching every move I make. Anyway, what's the deal?"

"I can't tell you right now. Garrison's gonna ask Token something, I just know it. Meet me after school in the backyard"

"At the stairs where those goth kids hang out? You got it, Tucker" Kenny grinned and hanged up. He lazily opened the door to the classroom and took his seat.

"Everything okay, Mr. McCormick?"

"Yes, ma'am. Ma just found a rats nest behind the fridge and freaked out. No biggie"

X

"Dude, I'm telling ya, once winter comes and it starts snowing, I'm gonna shove Wendy's face in the biggest snow-covered-dog-turd I'll find and then-"

"W-won't you..GAH! Get in trouble with S-. Stan?"

"Psh, yeah right. Stan's the biggest pussy I've ever seen. I bet he fights like a girl." Clyde replied, smiling towards his blonde friend.

Him, Tweek and Token were currently heading back home. They seemed quite care-free, even if the gang was missing one of its members.

"So…where's Craig again? It's not like him to stay at school after classes. Of his own free will, that is."

"Jesus, Token, I told you four times already! I. Don't. Know. Ok?! He told me he'll catch up with us later and then *poof*. No more Craig"

"GAH! POOF?! Just-..just like th-at?"

"Yes, Tweek…I MEAN NO! Tweek, he didn't disappear, alright? I was trying to explain how fast he ran off, you understand? Like, those metaphors, y'know?"

"Dude, I don't think he gets it…" Token said, noticing Tweek shaking and blinking furiously.

Seriously. You have to be extremely careful with what you say around Tweek. The dude always exaggerates. I mean, it was not like Craig was in trouble or doing something stupid and stuff, right? He was not like that.

X

"You can't be serious…"

"I'm dead serious"

"Well, I can't tell that for sure, can I? Since you have that serious…poker face on like…12 out of 24"

"It's 24 out of 24"

"Oh right, I forgot you frown even when you sleep"

"Kenny would you just stop fooling around for once in your life? I'm not the type that just goes telling stuff like this, and you know it"

"Calm down Craig, I know, ok? I got it. I just can't help but wonder if you know exactly what you're putting us into"

"Us?"

"What?"

"You said *us*"

"Didn't you just invite me to come along earlier?"

"So you're in?"

"Yeah, well, dunno how to put it but life at home isn't quite Heaven on Earth. I mean, I've been thinking about running away for like, 4 years. But I don't exactly have a precise destination or a car so…"

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I don't know dude, everybody else's life seemed so much better than mine, I just didn't think someone would want to leave their luxury and just, hit the road with the poor kid y'know?" Kenny sighed, trying to find his words.

All of his life he was constantly reminded that he was lower than the rest and that he'll never fit in. His house was a wreck, his parents were fucked up and his older brother was a mess. There were times Kenny thought his only goal in life was to take care of his little sister, Karen. But since she was no longer living with them,(she was staying at a classmate of hers) Kenny slowly lost his purpose and started to fade away. For a depressed teenager like him, it seemed that suicide was the only answer.

So one night, two years ago in Stark's Pond, a trembling Kenny with a rope in his hand could've been found wandering in the dark, looking hesitantly at the trees. Luckily, Craig found him and stopped him from hanging himself, and that's how they became friends. But, even if they were pretty close, Kenny never thought of telling Craig about his wish of running away.

Needless to say, he was shocked when his black-haired friend made the first step and asked him to tag along.

"So how's it gonna be, Tucker? You DID plan it all out, didn't you?" Kenny grinned, his blue eyes full of excitement.

"Trust me, McCormick, we won't end up lost in a desert, or looking for food in trash bins" Craig smiled slightly.

"Psh, dude, I'd rather live with you in a cardboard box than go back to that hellhole".

"That won't be necessary. Here's what you'll have to do. You go home, pack your bags silently. No one has to know, got it? Take whatever you want with you, shit, take anything that's considered yours, we'll have plenty of space. I'll come for you at let's say, half past midnight, okay? So make sure you don't fall asleep and sit by the window. I wouldn't want to have to honk for you or someth-

"Wait! Hold on!" Kenny clasped his hand over Craig's mouth. Man, this dude talked a lot when he was excited.

"Honk for me? With what? A bike horn?" Kenny asked, slightly amused. He didn't quite get the honking part.

Craig, however, was not amused.

"Oh yeah, Kenny. I'll come to get you with the bike. We'll ride towards the sunrise on our two-wheeled trusty steed. You fucking moron" he slapped Kenny on the back of his head, while the blonde shook with laughter.

"I was obviously talking about the CAR's horn, you idiot. Bike horn… " Craig facepalmed.

"Wait. You lost me again. What car?"

"Uh…my car?"

…

"You…"

…

"…you have your own car?"

"Yep."

This time Kenny was a little more confused than before.

"Since when?!"

"Since I turned eighteen. Bought it with my own money. Actually, money that grandma kept giving me for sweets. I just saved and saved and bought it. I didn't drive it, though. So it's still in the garage, collecting dust."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" this time, it was Kenny's turn to facepalm. "You had a car all this time and didn't even drive? Who does such a thing, dude?!"

"Where the hell am I supposed to go with it? Drive it to the kitchen? Anyway, as I was saying, make sure you don't fall asleep, and keep an eye out for me. The car is blue, even if I doubt you'll see the colour in the dark. You should also get some rest once you finish packing. Actually…no. No. Scratch that. I'd rather you sleep during the whole ride than have you talk non-stop."

"Should I take offence to that?"

"Whatever. I don't care. Just make sure no one will suspect a thing. See you at midnight." Craig started walking towards his house, when suddenly Kenny grabbed him by the arm, making him turn around.

"Dude, I think you just lost me again. You mean we're leaving today?"

"I don't know about you, but I don't plan on staying here any longer. So make your choice McCormick. You're coming with me, or not?"

Kenny looked at Craig's silver irises, trying to find out if he was really serious. Once he made sure there was no sign of fooling around in his eyes, he grinned and made his choice.

"Count me in".


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Chemicals between us

Craig got home at 8pm, and since they were leaving at midnight, he had enough time to pack the whole house if he wanted to. He opened the front door of his soon-to-be-ex-home and didn't even bother to take off his shoes. He approached the stairs and glanced towards the living room. There, sitting on the couch with a beer in his left hand and a remote control in the other, sat Thomas Tucker, clearly unaware of his son's presence or intentions. Not that he cared. Neither him nor his wife ever did.

Craig started climbing the stairs, making sure to skip the third step that always creaked, and quickly made it to his room. Usually, he wouldn't give two shits if anyone was bothered by the sound, and he'd sometimes step on it as hard as he could, but not today. This time, he had to be as quiet as a mouse. Once he entered his room he went straight to his closet and pulled two large suitcases from under a tall, wooden wardrobe. He grabbed every single item of clothing he owned, along with his books and laptop. He even took down the Red Racer posters that have been hanging on the walls for the last 10 years.

When on the verge of leaving their childhood house, one would usually have second thoughts. A *normal* human being would stare at the room that had sheltered him or her for so long and flashbacks would start forming in his/her mind. Craig was sure as hell not having any second thoughts. By the time he was ready packing, there was nothing left in the room apart from an empty bed, two nightstands, a desk and a chair. He was actually thinking of taking the curtains and the damn rug with him!

"All set" Craig said to himself while standing in the middle of the room, hands on hips, his silver eyes analyzing every single corner of his chamber. Nothing that could remind someone of his existence had to be left behind.

"Now, to prepare you for the trip" he murmured, turning towards his desk, where a little green hamster cage was standing. Inside it there was a brown guinea pig that had a long white stripe on its back.

"Today is the day, Stripe." Craig said as he refilled his pet's water bottle. "We're finally getting out of here. I just hope Nana won't mind me bringing you along. I mean, she was happy when I told her about my plans and when I mentioned McCormick she was actually excited and kept going on about how relieved she was hearing that I have a friend or …something like that. She'll adore you, no doubt about it." he smiled, gently petting Stripe's head with one finger.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

11pm. Just one more hour until departure. The house was as silent as a grave.

Craig quietly dragged his two large suitcases out of the room and closed the door behind him. He sneaked down the stairs, carefully avoiding the third step and glanced yet again at the living room, where he spotted his father sprawled on the couch, snoring loudly. Perfect.

He succeeded in getting out of the house, and made it to the garage where his blue corvette was patiently waiting for him. He quickly opened the trunk and tossed his suitcases, making a mental note to leave some space for Kenny's own luggage, and then tried his best to close it as silently as he could. He then returned inside, grabbed Stripe's cage and without even taking a last glance behind, he closed the door of his bedroom for (what he hoped to be) the last time.

Just as he was about to open the front door, he heard a cough behind him. He froze. _"They got me"_ he thought, biting on his lower lip. Craig sighed and turned around, expecting to see his parent's figures sitting on the couch, arms crossed and glaring at him, but instead, he was met by someone with long red hair and half-lidded green eyes. Ruby, his little sister. She was just coming from the kitchen, a glass of water in her left hand, while she used the other to cover her yawn. The moment their eyes met, Ruby slightly flipped her brother off, and went upstairs, scratching her back.

…?

It took Craig almost 30 seconds to understand what just happened, but since Ruby ignored him completely and just casually went back to bed, he decided to let it be, and ran back to the garage.

He opened the backseat door and gently put Stripe's cage on the black leather couch and buckled it up. Safety measures, first. He hopped in the driver's seat, turned on the ignition, and off he went. Next stop, the McCormick residence.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Blue eyes full of anxiousness glared into the dark, searching for a sign. Many cars passed by, but none were dark blue, looked new, or were driven by a black-haired teen with a blue chullo. God dammit.

Kenny sighed and ran a hand through his blonde locks. He should've waited inside by the window…he also should've taken his time with packing the bags. But he was just SO excited, the moment he got home from school, he started throwing everything he owned in an old, worn-out suitcase. And, considering how poor he was, that didn't take long. After packing, he sat by the window for almost an hour, grinning like an idiot, before declaring himself bored and deciding to wait for Craig outside.

Two hours later and here he is, standing stupidly by his run-down fence, suitcase at his feet, while he's constantly checking his phone. It's almost midnight and finally, Kenny spots a car that suits his description : dark blue, new, driven by a chullo-wearing dude. Hallelujah.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Craig stopped the car in front of McCormick's house and waited for Kenny to put his bags inside the trunk. Once everything was set, Kenny adjusted himself in the passenger's seat and so the long ride began.

"Hey, Tucker" Kenny smiled to his left, quickly analyzing the car. "Nice ride. I see you're punctual as usual and –oh!" his eyes widened for a moment before grinning and turning again towards Craig. "You brought the rat with you?" he teased.

Craig glared at him for a second before looking back at the road. "Her name is Stripe and she's a guinea pig, you moron."

"Ooh! So it's a she" Kenny exclaimed and he turned again, trying to pet Stripe but failing since she was up in her little, cosy, plastic house, not giving any signs of wanting to be touched.

"Yeah, she's a girl and apparently, not interested." the noirette slightly smiled, eyes still on the road.

"Fuck you, man" Kenny laughed and turned on the radio. He skipped some channels and randomly pushed some buttons before hearing a familiar line.

_*I want you to remember*_

"O-o-o Craig! Listen!" Kenny shook Craig's arm.

_*_ _A love so full it could send us all ways*_

"Dude it's Bush!" the blonde smiled, looking at the radio as if there was something very interesting written on it.

_*I want you to surrender *  
>*All my feelings rose today*<em>

"I can't believe they play such amazing songs on the radio! It used to be full of commercial songs and other crap."

"Trust me, nothing's changed. You pressed the CD button. It's my music that's playing."

"Dude, this is my favourite song! It kinda suits us, don't cha think?" Kenny grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at his friend.

"Don't make me hate it and delete it, McCormick." Craig said, trying to sound as bored as ever. But maybe he was trying too hard.

And maybe Kenny realized that. He was no idiot. You can't delete things from a CD...but that wasn't the point. He could read people very well and he knew that deep down Craig thought about them too, when he downloaded the song and put it on his CD. But he'll never admit that. Kenny'll just have to wait a little longer.

_*I'll try not to complain*  
>*I know that's a pisser baby*<em>

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

__So, how's it going? Like this so far? Then please let me know and review!

I would also like to thank every single one of you guys that faved and followed this. It means a lot to me. Thanks again! ;)

I don't own the South Park characters, I just borrowed their names…and appearance… and some other stuff.


	4. Chapter 4

Words that are in **bold **are used when yelling, because using CAPS LOCK ALL THE TIME IS KINDA TIRING. See?

I don't own South Park.

Chapter 4 – Understanding

"Craig, I'm hungry"

…

"Nature's calling me, Craig"

…

"Craig, if you don't pull over in the next 20 minutes, I'm gonna get sick and barf all over your shiny car"

…

"…and also over the rat's cage"

"**For fuck's sake, McCormick!"** Craig finally snapped. "**I told you to wait just a little longer, is that too much for you?! "**

"**First of all, **you told me that **two hours ago! **Currently, it's six o'clock in the morning and you've been driving nonstop ever since we left and I may not be a freacking genius or anything, but I can tell that's **a lot! **Even for you." Kenny said, trying to knock some sense into the raven haired teen's head. Boy, was he stubborn.

He was met by silence, and that was a clear sign that he had won yet again. Craig rarely got into arguments, because he considered them a waste of both time and energy. But having one with Kenny was almost inevitable, because the McCormick kid somehow knew his weak points and attacked where it hurt the most. That's why Craig always chose to just shut up when he knew he was losing…because Kenny would never back up first.

Craig hated when people brought up truths about him.

Kenny stared at him for a minute before sighing and turning to his right, looking out the window.

"Fine. Be that way. But I ain't making no funeral arrangements".

…

…What?

"What the hell are you talking about, McCormick?" Craig glared at him from the corner of his eye. "Is the heat making you delusional?"

"Joke all you want, _Tucker" _Kenny purred, a huge, evil grin plastered in his face "But if I won't die of starvation, your rat over there surely will".

Heavy sigh. " One more bad joke about Stripe, and I swear-"

"But it's the truth, sugar! That plastic, little food recipient or whatever has been empty for quite a long time, now. She seems kinda desperate, you know, chewing on the bars like that." Kenny said, turning in his seat and glancing over at the cage.

Craig's eyes snapped open and he slowed down the car, taking quick glances back at Stripe until his eyes fell on the empty food recipient. He furrowed his brows, trying to remember the exact bag that contained the guinea pig food, but after moments of hard thinking, he felt a sudden stinging sensation in his chest.

You know, that moment when you suddenly remember that you forgot to do something extremely important and there's no time left so you're 100% sure you're going to get in trouble? And your heart aches a little?

That's how Craig felt as soon as he realized that he forgot the Bonanza bag in the kitchen. Because everybody leaves pet food in cupboards, where it could easily be mistaken for a bag of cereals.

Craig groaned and hit his head on the steering wheel, as if trying to punish himself for forgiving something as important as Stripe's food. Out of all the things he owned, he just had to fill his mind and suitcase with clothes and cushions and other useless stuff.

Blue eyes curiously analyzed him, unsure whether to laugh at his misery or try to comfort him and pat his shoulder. Kenny was having one of those moments when he had no idea how to react. Just like a child in class, that heard the teacher use a wrong word, unsure whether to correct him, or just let it be, only to have the teacher realize it later and scold the class for not paying attention.

Moments like this one weren't rare in Craig's company, so Kenny did what he thought it would be best : turned in his seat and stared out the window, admiring hills, trees that passed way too fast, bushes…It was nothing like the view in South Park, where you couldn't see anything apart from snow. He spotted big, yellow sunflowers scattered here and there, and since he had nothing better to do, he began counting them. Three there, another two, suddenly six…and then a lot more…and would you look at that… a whole field appeared!

His eyes squinted a little, trying to look past the yellow sea. He looked back at Craig and was amazed by the fact that there was no sunflower field on his side. An inexplicable urge took over him. He wanted to open the door and fall into the field, embrace the ground and then rise again, letting soft petals tickle his face. The first time he saw sunflowers was in Kyle's botanical atlas. He had no idea how all of those seeds he used to eat with his sister on her bed, would grow together on a flower, and not bring her down.

Despite his strong wish, Kenny got discouraged by the frown plastered on Craig's face. There was no way in hell he would stop the car just so Kenny could run around and hug flowers. Gosh, if Cartman was there, he would sure call him a fag…or a hippie.

Kenny fidgeted in his seat. Maybe Craig would stop if there was an emergency? No, he already told him he needed to pee, and the noirette didn't even flinch when he warned him about flooding the car…but he did manage to get a reaction out of him when he mentioned Stripe…

"Hey Craig, do guinea pigs like sunflower seeds?" he asked, words leaving his mouth way too fast for him to even reconsider.

It was silence for 20 seconds or so, but then Craig finally replied.

"I'm not sure. I heard they're pretty bad for their health."

"Oh, come on, rodents are all the same. Butters once had this little Russian hamster and he used to feed it with almost everything he could." Kenny paused to snicker. "Dude, you should've seen it. It looked like a white ball of yarn, it was sooo fat!"

"What did he name it?" Craig asked, clearly interested in the matter.

"Eric."

They laughed, both at the thought of Butters naming his obese hamster *Eric* and also imagining Cartman's reaction once he found out about it.

Kenny wiped a stray tear and chuckled."The little dude probably died from something Butters gave him. Chocolate, maybe."

"He gave him _chocolate_?" Craig looked at him, trying to see if Kenny was fooling around. "Dude, Russian hamsters can die if you give them lettuce or cucumber, why on Earth would you feed your pet chocolate?"

"Don't ask _me_." Kenny shrugged. "This got side-tracked, what I originally meant to say is that Butters also gave *Eric* sunflower seeds and it seemed pretty happy about it, so…"

Craig sighed, slowed down once again and carefully parked the car on the side of the road. By the time he unbuckled his belt, Kenny was already sprinting towards the flowers, hands in the air, ready to jump right into the field.

He snorted and shook his head, following the blonde with his gaze. It was so easy to watch him crazily running around, laughing like a child at the circus. He seemed so genuinely happy and free and…alive.

"If that's how you react to a field, I'd hate to be around you when we go to the beach, McCormick!" He yelled, unconsciously putting *we* where only *you* used to be. But not like Kenny minded. In fact, once he heard that statement, he quickly turned and used his right hand to shield his eyes from the sun, and in the distance, he could make out a long horizontal blue figure next to a tall blurry one that appeared to be leaning against a tree.

And even if he was unsure whether Craig said *we* or not, the word *beach* was the one that got his attention. "I take that as a promise, Tucker!" he yelled back, and continued his running.

Fifteen minutes later, Kenny had to get back due to his stomach growling, only to find Craig sitting cross legged on a blanket in the shade of a tree. Near him, there was a pile of sunflower *heads*, (as Kenny preferred to call them) a knife, a bottle of water and a plastic bag full with sandwiches.

Stripe's cage was also joining him on the blanket, and Craig was apparently busy picking up seeds. He was in his concentrated mode, tongue out, eyes squinted and all that. You could swear he was sewing.

Kenny flopped down in front of him, eyeing the bag of sandwiches, but not daring to take one.

"You just wanted to run through the flowers, didn't you." Craig teased, unable to fight the small smile that appeared on his face. He looked up from his work just in time to catch Kenny's hungry glances, and chuckled.

"What are you waiting for? Dig in."

And that's what Kenny did.

====================xXx===================

They stood in comfortable silence, Craig picking up seeds and refilling Stripe's food and water recipients, while Kenny was sitting on his stomach, propped on his elbows and playing with the strands of grass that were coming out from under the blanket. Once the raven-haired boy's hands grew tired, he sighed and leaned his back against the tree, hands digging in his pockets, searching for the pack of cigarettes.

Kenny took it as the perfect opportunity to have a decent conversation for once, since cigs seemed to calm Craig down, and placed his head on his lap, eyes trying to make out the tree's branches through thick smoke.

Craig didn't seem to mind, in fact he began running his fingers through his blonde locks. A massage his tired hands deserved, for sure.

"What's bothering you?" Kenny asked softly, for fear he might be shoved away if he spoke louder.

"What do you mean?"

"Dude, you can't lie to me. A thought has been chewing at your brain and it clearly won't leave."

"You're bluffing" Craig said, taking another drag from his cigarette.

"Stop that." Kenny tried to reach the cancer stick and slap it away, but Craig was faster, grabbing both Kenny's hands with his left and holding him like that till he finished his cig.

"Dumbass…I thought you said you'd quit."

"_I_ thought_ you _said the only time when we can have a *decent* conversation is when I'm smoking"

"That was when you smoked 3 cigs a week, not a whole pack in two days! And knowing you had to smoke in order to calm down sometimes got on my nerves, so I decided that I'll find ways of doing it myself."

"Good luck with that one" he snickered, grabbing Kenny's nose and clasped his hand over his mouth, laughing while the blonde furiously tried to release himself, kicking everywhere.

Once they stopped their little fight and Kenny got his breath back, everything went back to normal for another two hours.

====================xXx==================

Stripe was running on her wheel, unaware of the blue, curious eyes that were following her. Kenny tapped the cage, desperately trying to get her attention, but to no avail.

"Ruby saw me leaving last night" Craig suddenly broke the silence, looking straight ahead, as if trying to mentally get lost into the field.

Kenny's eyes widened as he turned to look at him. "She saw you? Shit…" he combed his hair in frustration. "Did you have to make a deal with her? Blackmail? Anything?"

Craig chuckled. "She didn't even talk to me. She just flipped me the bird and went back to sleep. Simple as that…"

There was clearly something in his voice. It wasn't anger, nor sadness…it sounded more like disappointment.

Kenny approached him, arms open."Craig…."

"Don't. If you plan on hugging me out of pity, then save it. I'm fine, it's not like they threw me out or anything, I left on my own accord."

That didn't stop Kenny from hugging him, though. If Kenny is about to hug somebody, then he'll do it no matter what, goddammit.

"It's not pity" he heard his blonde friend whisper.

It was not _pity_. It was something only Kenny could offer because he too, felt it, and Craig promised himself he'll do his best in order to return the favor.


	5. Message

A message from the author :

_**What I'm about to say might sound like a pathetic excuse for not updating(?) but whatever, I need to do this.**_

_**I don't know if I mentioned this before, but *Runaways* is a story based on real life experiences. MY real life experiences. **_

_**The reason I decided to begin writing this is because I was in a desperate need to express myself. Somehow, I just felt like telling someone (anyone) about my life. I don't really trust the people around me that much, so writing my story and presenting it to complete strangers…it sounded like the perfect idea. I sometimes paint, and I usually get lost in music (rock, to be exact), but writing about myself feels better. **_

_**The reason behind the lack of updates? How to put it…**_

_**Everything you've read in this story actually happened. Yes, everything (or maybe 95%, the names and appearances differ sometimes). My real name might not be Kenny McCormick, still, I was always the poor kid from my little group of 4 (I'm also a blonde perv with freckles). And I don't have a younger sister named Karen, but I DO have a younger brother which I used to take care of and cherish.**_

_**And maybe my boyfriend's name isn't Craig, but their personalities are way too similar(dark hair, flips the bird on reflex, tall and serious madafaka) And maybe he didn't have a guinea pig named Stripe, but he DID have a pair of Russian hamsters, named Chip and Dale**____**) We also had this fat asshole of a friend in our group. His name was Steven, but I'll always remember him as Cartman :D**_

_**Being almost all the time on the road or just busy, I don't really get to write that much, but I guess I'll manage. There were a lot of crazy things going on during our little adventure, and I'm kinda eager to tell you guys more about it. **_

_***Craig* doesn't know I started writing this story, but I'll show it to him one day. But not now, when there are only 4 chapters! Shame on me. **_

_**And a little advice before I end this…**_

_**Even if we are doing good now and things ended up great for us, don't follow our example. We were (and still are) two stupid boys who thought we could handle life and what it threw at us. But things aren't always that easy, and with a drop of bad luck, who knows what dangers might await you.**_

_**Please be careful. The world is a horrid place, sometimes.**_

_**~*Kenny* **_

_**I don't own South Park.**_


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